Modern Wallpaper Trends + 11 Prints to Try

It’s no surprise that the modern wallpaper trend is still going strong: Wallpaper is a (relatively) simple and inexpensive update, and today’s patterns are a far cry from the ’80s florals and farm animal borders of the past. I got to see some of the newest playful patterns in person at the recent International Contemporary Furniture Fair. These are some of my favorite designers and patterns.

Retro Patterns From Dupenny Designs
From pinup girls to strongmen to jazz-era flappers, Dupenny Designs mixes retro artwork with cheeky humor to create wallpapers that are both fun and impactful thanks to their black-and-white designs. This bathroom-perfect paper is outfitted with groups of bathing-capped synchronized swimmers.

Splash Wallpaper by Dupenny Designs

Graphic Abstractions From Alyse SolomonArtist Alyse Solomon starts her wallpaper design with photographs of everyday objects, then transforms them digitally into repeating abstractions. The results, like this pattern entitled “Acid Wash,” have a soothing kaleidoscope effect.

Acid Wash Wallpaper by Alyse Solomon

Bright, Large-Scale Florals From Camilla Meijer
The bold color combination of this iridescent floral print drew me into Camilla Meijer’s ICFF booth like a moth to the flame. Hand-drawn and hand-screenprinted in London, these bright, large-scale florals are perfect for a focal wall or a small powder room.

The English Garden Wallpaper by Camilla Meijer

Embellished Art Deco Designs From MeystyleMeystyle’s glitzy art deco-inspired patterns look like they could have come straight from Jay Gatsby’s mansion, but that’s not the only thing that makes them eye-catching: You can add twinkling LED lights to the patterns, giving your wall an unexpected glow. Or, if glitz is more your thing, you can also add Swarovski crystals.

Meystyle’s LED Wallpaper

Yukari Sweeney’s Pastoral Imagery
With a mix of Japanese, American and British influences, Yukari’s designs evoke the look of nature and farm life with a modern twist. This year at ICFF, her booth featured updated, bold floral prints…

Modern Floral Wallpaper by Yukari Sweeney

…and a new design called “Lord of the Manor.”

Lord of the Manor Wallpaper by Yukari Sweeney

Palm Beach Chic by House of Hackney
House of Hackney’s playful, irreverent prints, like this Palmerial Luxury pattern, are available in fabrics, wallpapers, lampshades and even clothing.

Palm Tree Wallpaper by House of Hackney

Modern Hand-Printed Designs From JuJu Papers
We featured Avery’s hand-printed, spare modern motifs in a vintage-inspired wallpaper roundup last fall, and I still love her nature-inspired patterns. This spring, the Portland-based artist is back with two new patterns: This bold, free-form “Family Reunion” design…

Family Reunion Wallpaper by Juju Wallpaper

…and this subtly modern pattern called “The Sou’Wester.”

The Sou’Wester by Juju Papers

Texture-Inspired Patterns From NLXLFaux wall finishes might still be out of style, but faux-textured wallpapers were on full display at the NLXL booth. There was this concrete-inspired pattern by Piet Boon that debuted last spring…

Concrete Wallpaper by Piet Boon

…and this new collection from Arthur Slenk inspired by the texture and patterns featured on two boxes of vintage sheet music. Over seven years, Slenk painstakingly sorted, paired and pasted the sheet music into 144 letter-sized art pieces. The pieces were then transformed into graphic wallpapers like the one featured below.

Remixed Wallpaper by Arthur Slenk

What do you think: Would you use these modern wallpapers in your home?